The Trust Factor: What Motivates Gen Z to Buy from Social Media Influencers

Overview

This doctoral research examined how influencer credibility — defined by attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise — influences Gen Z's attitudes toward Instagram ads and purchase intentions.

Through a two-phase mixed-methods design combining survey data from 500 Gen Z respondents and follow-up interviews, the research uncovered a clear hierarchy of influence: trustworthiness drives conversions far more than engagement metrics or visual appeal.

Challenge

With more than 65 million influencers on Instagram, brands face a saturated environment where credibility can make or break performance. Traditional advertising approaches no longer resonate with Gen Z, a demographic that expects transparency and shared identity from the influencers they follow. Yet few studies had quantified which aspects of credibility most strongly drive purchase behavior.

Research Approach

This mixed-methods study, conducted under IRB protocols, employed both quantitative modeling and qualitative analysis.

Quantitative Phase: Online survey of 500 Gen Z participants measuring how trustworthiness, attractiveness, and expertise affected attitudes and purchase intent.
Qualitative Phase: Follow-up interviews exploring why followers trusted certain influencers, revealing relatability and authenticity as the core emotional drivers.
Statistical analysis confirmed trustworthiness was the single most significant predictor of purchase intent.

Key Findings

95% of respondents ranked trust as the leading factor influencing purchase decisions.
Relatability and authenticity were the top traits associated with trusted influencers.
Attractiveness influenced engagement rates but not purchase intent.
Expertise ranked lowest — followers value personality alignment over professional qualifications.

Results